Ryan Hightower
About Ryan Hightower
Ryan Hightower is Executive Vice President at HighPeak Energy (appointed November 4, 2025), after serving as Vice President, Business Development since August 2020. He has 18+ years in oil and gas, focused on land acquisitions and business development; he helped found HighPeak Energy Partners I & II and was directly involved with Pure Acquisition Corp. (SPAC) that led to HighPeak’s formation. Earlier roles include co‑founder/managing partner of TEMA Fund, LP (2007), Portfolio Operations Analyst at Highland Capital Management, and independent acquisition of leases/minerals across major basins; he graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Finance from Texas Tech University (2005) and was the highest‑ranking graduate in his class. For context on company performance under the current regime, HighPeak reported Q3 2025 net loss of $18.3M, EBITDAX $139.9M, sales volumes 47.8 MBoe/d; Q2 2025 net income was $26.2M and EBITDAX $156.0M .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| HighPeak Energy, Inc. | Vice President, Business Development | Aug 2020–Nov 2025 | Founded initial private equity partnerships; led business development; contributed to SPAC transaction (Pure) forming the Company . |
| HighPeak Energy, Inc. | Executive Vice President | Nov 2025–present | Elevated to EVP; senior leadership role across BD and strategic initiatives . |
| Independent O&G acquisitions | Principal | Pre‑2020 | Acquired leases, minerals, royalties and non‑operated interests across Haynesville, Eagle Ford, Delaware, Midland and Eastern Shelf . |
| TEMA Fund, LP | Co‑founder & Managing Partner | 2007– | Led mineral/royalty acquisitions, investor relations, accounting and banking practices . |
| Highland Capital Management, LP | Portfolio Operations Analyst | Pre‑2007 | Supported credit/alternatives investing, bank/broker interactions, documentation and cash reconciliations . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Stockholder Group (HighPeak Pure Acquisition, LLC; HighPeak Energy, LP; HighPeak Energy II, LP) | Committee Member (equal discretionary voting with Michael Hollis and Daniel Silver) | Sep 2025–present | Governance over entities holding ~64.4% of HighPeak common stock; influence over Director Designee processes under Stockholders’ Agreement . |
Fixed Compensation
- Not individually disclosed for Mr. Hightower. HighPeak is an “emerging growth company” and only discloses compensation for CEO, President, and COO (NEOs) in its proxy statements .
Performance Compensation
- Company LTIP: Share pool equals 13% of outstanding shares; awards include stock, options, dividend equivalents; NEO unvested options/RS awards accelerate upon Change in Control; dividend equivalents paid on options; as of Dec 31, 2024, 16,414,015 shares were available under LTIP .
- Annual bonuses: Determined on a discretionary basis, generally tied to individual and company performance (no formal plan) .
No specific metrics/weightings/targets or award details for Mr. Hightower are disclosed. The Company’s program uses discretionary bonuses and equity incentives; NEO details are provided in the proxy, but Mr. Hightower is not an NEO .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Policy / Status |
|---|---|
| Stock ownership guidelines | CEO: 6× salary; NEOs: 3× salary; other Section 16 officers: 2× salary; 5 years to meet starting Dec 31, 2021; all directors and Section 16 officers met guidelines as of Dec 31, 2024 . |
| Hedging | Prohibited: no short sales, puts/calls, margin purchases, hedging/monetization transactions . |
| Pledging | Board removed prohibition in 2022 Insider Trading Policy amendment; pledging now permitted subject to policy and approvals . |
| Insider trading controls | Policy applies to directors, officers and employees; 2025 amendment prohibits transacting/tipping in securities of counterparties where insiders have MNPI . |
| Principal Stockholder Group influence | Ryan Hightower sits on committee governing entities holding ~64.4% of common stock (significant voting influence though not necessarily personal beneficial ownership) . |
Employment Terms
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Appointment & term | Appointed Executive Vice President effective Nov 4, 2025; will serve until death, disability, resignation or removal . |
| Employment agreements | Company states it has not entered into employment, severance, or change‑in‑control agreements with NEOs; broader employee Change in Control Severance Payment approved in 2021 (Committee‑discretionary) . |
| Change‑in‑control economics | Discretionary cash payment up to 3× (highest base salary + highest bonus) for employees including NEOs; unvested RS awards vest on Change in Control; tax gross‑up at Compensation Committee discretion to offset §4999 excise tax; payments may be conditioned on restrictive covenants and releases . |
| Clawback | Incentive‑Based Compensation Recoupment Policy effective Dec 1, 2023; recovery upon restatement, administered by Compensation Committee; no indemnification for recovered compensation . |
Company Performance (Context)
| Metric | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Net (loss) income ($USD Millions) | $26.2 | $(18.3) |
| Diluted EPS ($USD) | $0.19 | $(0.15) |
| EBITDAX ($USD Millions) | $156.0 | $139.9 |
| Average Sales Volumes (MBoe/d) | 48.6 | 47.8 |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Controlled‑company status; compensation and governance committees include non‑independent directors, increasing potential governance risk .
- Pledging permitted since 2022 policy change—potential alignment risk if executives or insiders pledge shares; hedging remains prohibited .
- Discretionary tax gross‑up for §4999 excise taxes on Change‑in‑Control payments is shareholder‑unfriendly and a pay‑practice red flag .
- CEO transition in September–November 2025; elevated leadership and strategic execution risk during transition period .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Hightower’s role on the Principal Stockholder Group committee that governs ~64% of shares signals meaningful influence; stock ownership guidelines and hedging prohibitions support alignment, though pledging is allowed (monitor for pledging disclosures) .
- Pay structure: Lack of fixed employment contracts and reliance on discretionary bonus/committee‑driven LTIP and CoC program suggest high discretion; the presence of a tax gross‑up option and CoC acceleration implies potential for generous payouts in transactions—watch for any new executive agreements or awards filed on 8‑Ks .
- Retention/trading signals: No disclosed individual vesting schedules or grant details for Hightower; given policy‑level CoC acceleration and committee discretion, insider Form 4 activity will be the best early indicator of selling pressure—monitor upcoming filings post‑EVP appointment .
- Execution risk: Leadership changes and stated focus on debt reduction and operational discipline frame near‑term priorities; Hightower’s BD background may be leveraged for asset optimization or capital transactions; pair with quarterly performance tracking to gauge effectiveness .